Being surrounded by other AUs with hybrid/magical cats eventually made an impression on me when I decided I wanted the Shores to have shark-tails. I wondered about it for a bit before remembering that I am the writer and I am allowed to do whatever I want with my story. So I am slowly hybridizing the sapient creatures of Strelles because I refuse to allow only the prides to be cool looking.
All of these bases were drawn by @sparkwing
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Winds - Bat/Okapi
Long and slender forms with massive bat ears atop their heads. Leaf noses paired with sharp long, top tooth fangs and angular eyes. The Winds have flaps of skin between their tail and hindlegs alongside their forelegs and flanks. They have strong horns atop their heads which are useful both for digging and to defend themselves from the various hawks and eagles that roam their open-territory.
Runners/Escorts - along thin, whiplike tails mostly used for directional changes and signals
Tunnelers/Guards - short or completely stubby tails to keep them out of the way and aid in dirt clearing. Larger horns for combat and digging
Shores - Shark/Rosetail-Betta
Not completely water-perfect but they are streamline d I think. Cats of the Shores have medium-length, somewhat coarse glossy fur not unlike that of an otter's that fades into a shark-like tail. I imagined them are more like the tails of blacktip reef-sharks rather than that of a great white's. They have long catfish like whiskers that look silly drooping on land but are crucial for navigating when their rivers are murky. The fins around their necks are more decorative than functional, their only purpose really only meant to look pretty.
The Sacred Rank of the Shores - The Frills - are based more on lionfish with venomous spines lining their backs down to their rumps and on their forelegs which have fins webbed between them as well. Their fins have been pulled a bit back, connecting at the sides of their necks and going down their backs.
Shadows - Alligator/Snake
Long and somewhat lean forms with short fur and round heads. They don't really have ears so much as ear-flaps that resemble the ridges on a gator's head. Creeping Shadows have a few scales on their noses with ridges running down their spines into a powerful gator's tail useful for combat and balance.
The Anacondas are much more snake-like taking on the hoods of a snake (capable of being closed of course) and a combination of a snake and gator's tail with spines down the tail but with a rattle on the end.
Bonus! Spark colored one of the Shadow cats
Thunders - Boar/Owl
Muscular and solid forms with thick, protective fur meant to defend them from the thorns and brackens strewn throughout their thick forest territory. The Thunders have large tusks paired with an under-bite. They have a thick collar of feathers around their necks remiscent of a lion's mane - with some being larger and more plush than other’s at times.
The Strix of the forest is granted feathered legs and lose their cat's stails altogether. One of their defining traits is the large, sharp talon on their forepaws.
(Will finish the image descriptions when I have more energy)
